Assembly of flexible metal contact bars for coin-operated path game unit

Abstract

Disclosed is an assembly of flexible metal contact bars for a coin-operated path game unit. The assembly includes a fixed supporting block having a rubber-ring-attached shaft frictionally contacting with a driven sliding block having a rubber-pad-attached top. Two electrodes are fixedly attached to the sliding block and extend toward a rotating spiral path in the game unit. When the path game unit is actuated by an inserted coin, the shaft of the fixed supporting block rotates with the rubber ring thereof frictionally contacting with the rubber pad on the driven sliding block to move the sliding block toward the path, so that the two electrodes separately locate above and below the path. The electrode each is formed from at least two metal contact bars flexibly connected to one another by a spring between them, such that the metal contact bar forming a free end of the electrode may bias in any direction to avoid damage when the electrode collides with the path.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An assembly of flexible metal contact bars for coin-operated path game unit, said path game unit including a constantly rotating spiral path and a long rail to which said assembly of flexible metal contact bars is attached to move up and down in said path game unit and to move from a beginning of said spiral path to an end of said path, said assembly of flexible metal contact bars comprising a frame, a fixed supporting block, a driven sliding block, two electrodes, a cover member covered onto said frame, and a decorative shell attached to a front side of said cover; said fixed supporting block being fixedly mounted to a middle portion in said frame, a shaft to be rotatably connected to a motor of said path game unit sideward projecting from said fixed supporting block and having a rubber ring provided around said shaft, such that when a coin is inserted into said path game unit to start said motor, said shaft and said rubber ring are rotated;   said driven sliding block being slidably mounted on two slide rails fixedly mounted to a lower portion in said frame, such that said sliding block is located to one side of said fixed supporting block with a rubber pad attached to a top of said sliding block frictionally contacting with said rubber ring around said shaft projecting from said fixed supporting block, whereby said sliding block is moved on said guide rails toward said path when said shaft and said rubber ring are rotated; and   said electrodes being fixedly held by two insulating electrode holders which are horizontally and parallelly attached to and projecting from a fixing plate, said fixing plate being fixedly mounted to said sliding block so as to move along with said sliding block, each of said electrodes being formed from at least two metal contact bars connected to one another by means of springs, a first metal contact bar of said at least two metal contact bars being fixedly connected to a free end of said electrode holder and a last metal contact bar of said at least two metal contact bars forming a free end of said electrode, said electrodes being perpendicular to said electrode holders and extending toward said spiral path in said path game unit, such that when said sliding block is moved toward said path, said two electrodes separately locate above and below said path;   whereby when any of said electrodes gets in contact with said path, said springs connecting said at least metal contact bars of said electrode flex to allow said metal contact bars to bias from said path without fiercely colliding with said path and becoming damaged.   
     
     
       2. An assembly of flexible metal contact bars for coin-operated path game unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least two metal contact bars are provided at ends facing said springs with external threads, whereby said springs are connected at two ends to said metal contact bars by engaging with said external threads. 
     
     
       3. An assembly of flexible metal contact bars for coin-operated path game unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least two metal contact bars as well as said springs are preferably made of stainless steel material. 
     
     
       4. An assembly of flexible metal contact bars as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrodes are preferably formed from two metal contact bars connected to each other by said springs.